Snowstorm in the San Juans Vol 2 Rotary Run on the Cumbres and Toltec DVD
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During the winter of 2020 the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad operated steam-powered Rotary OY for the first time in 23 years in order to clear the line from Chama, NM to the summit of 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass. This extraordinary demonstration was the first event in a planned yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Cumbres & Toltec, with photographers from all over the world traveling to Chama in late February to see the rotary in action. While the Rio Grande kept Cumbres open year round into the 1960s, winter runs on the Cumbres & Toltec are incredibly rare because the railroad only operates regular trains from late-May to mid-October.

This program covers the 2-day rotary event with footage from the air, onboard the rotary and trailing locomotives, plus plenty of trackside views. Two K-36 mikado-type locomotives (#487 and #484) were used to push the rotary plow up the steep 4% grade to Cumbres. On the first day the rotary plowed from Chama to the Colorado state line. Deeper snow was encountered on the second day as the railroad was opened the rest of the way to Cumbres Pass. In addition to comprehensive coverage from all the organized photo locations, this program features footage of the sunrise departure on day two, plus a number of backcountry shots of the rotary plowing snow far from the photo lines.

Filmed entirely in HD, this program offers a fascinating glimpse at snow fighting on the Rio Grande narrow gauge. With hard-working steam locomotives, beautiful scenery, and the incredible historical ambiance of the Cumbres & Toltec, this video is sure to appeal to any steam fan. This program has minimal narration (with the option to turn it on or off) and no distracting music.

In addition to the standard widescreen DVD, this program is also available on HD Blu-ray disc.